We ARE Choosing A Home Birth

March 4, 2011

I’ll be seeing Lynda Barton-Kirch and I will give birth to our third child in our home. Somehow it doesn’t feel as freeing as I thought it would. Maybe it’s because I’m so busy with two little boys (ages 3.5 and 1.5) that I just don’t have the time to think about it, or because the first trimester KICKED MY BUTT.

Anyways, I’ve read and enjoyed countless home birth stories over the last several years. I’ve seen home birth on the web, TV and in The Business of Being Born. I was moved every time. It just hasn’t been my experience yet.

The two experiences I’ve had were fine. I planned and prepared for a natural drug-free birth with both of my babies. Got it with number two. It was a good experience. I didn’t have to fight my OB or hospital to birth the way I wanted to. So, in my mind, home birth was beautiful but I had okay experiences with an OB at a hospital and I didn’t truly wish for something else. I’ve mentioned it before, but this time around I don’t have the same opportunity to have a birth similar to my last experiences. My OB moved away.

That fact has been harder on me than I thought it would be. She was a big part of my life during the most monumental months, and moments, of my life. It’s really hard to wrap my head around a different scenario. I’m sure I will eventually. And I’m sure I’m going to truly enjoy giving birth in the comfort of my home.

For now, I’m going to have to deal with the stress of people not understanding home birth. (So glad I have a blog I can point people to if they have questions.) I haven’t actually had to address any negativity head on YET, but I’m sure the time will come.

Only 0.6% of births occur in the home. Because of this there is a lot of misunderstanding about the safety of home birth. I’m glad I’ll be able to do my part in helping to educate the masses. Ha!

So, in the next few weeks (especially now that I’m feeling better) I’m going to address some of the objections to home birth. Hopefully we’ll all learn a little in the process.

For now, if you have questions about home birth, would you please leave them in a comment here so I can answer them in later blog posts? Thanks a bunch!

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I think home birth is a very neat thing! Probably not for me, but very cool for many women. Honestly, the things that I don’t understand are the simplest details, minor things really, but I would love to hear how you are planning for them.

For instance, what about the other children? How will you keep them occupied, who will watch them while you are laboring, will they know what is going on? What if you want some “space” where they aren’t hearing/seeing you? I know this is going to sound silly, but how do you plan to deal with the mess? Where do you think you will actually give birth (bed, bath, etc.)? Also, I know there are many interruptions at hospitals and many people don’t feel they are restful, but it was to me…at least more restful than being at home with the constant interruptions of small children. What are you planning to ensure you get rest with the new baby for a few days? Also, are you planning on placenta encapsulation or anything? Thanks for being so open to questions…I don’t know anyone in person who’s planned a home birth, so I am eager to hear your experience and read about the details.

I think that’s great! I love my homebirth, but it was surreal as it was occurring. I am a doula so I am well educated and it was baby #4(1st at home), so I knew the routine LOL But it was so low-key and just simple and peaceful that it was weird that *I* was actually having a homebirth. I remember thinking that when I went into labor. LOL I was just walking around my house going, “Wow, this is it! I am really doing it!”

I’m a labor doula and had a repeat client who had a home birth this past Nov. As she came from a family of medical providers and skeptics, she put together a huge 3 ring binder of information and stats. When she was faced with others opinions about her decision, she would either offer to show, or show them the binder. It was amazing how her loved ones began to support her choices when they realized that she had done her homework and wasn’t just trying to be a hippie dippie. 😉 She had an amazing and quick home birth delivering a nice big 9.5 pounder! It was fantastic!